Asian Cuisine Wine Pairing(Chinese Take Out)

HomePage| Blue Cheese Wine Pairing | Blog Articles

Pairing Wine with Asian Cuisine

Pairing wine with Asian dishes is not unlike many food and wine pairings. It is not just about the food item, but also about what is put on the food, like spices, or a sauce. Wines that can be matched with Asian cuisine are typically acidic in nature, and low in tannins. Both white and red wines can be paired with Asian dishes. They also have lots of fruit notes, usually. Wine styles can include dry, off-dry, and also a bold style of wine, depending of course, on the individual food item selected to pair. In this article post, we'll look at some popular Asian foods and what wines can best compliment the dish.

Selecting Wines For Chinese Rice

For fried rice(beef, chicken- think Chinese Take Out), a Riesling with dry or off dry style, and a fruity note. Flavours generally produced with Riesling wine is green apple, crisp lime, and peach notes. Rieslings are found around the world, and also the classic Rieslings from Germany. For the off-dry to sweet Rieslings from Germany; look for; Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese(Trockenbeerenauslese), Kabinett. Other regions producing good Rieslings are the Eden and Clare Valleys in South Australia, New Zealand’s South Island, Washington State in the USA, Western Australia,and South Africa’s Constantia.

Wines For Pork

With pork, it's about the fat and salt. When pairing wine with pork, you want to pair it with a medium-bodied wine with high acidity. Choosing a red wine, the fat will help combat the tannins. With your Asian meal, you may have a side of pork included; like, pork belly, pulled pork; with or without a sauce added.

When selecting a wine for pork, the things to consider are:
the cut of the pork and how it is being cooked,
and what sauce your serving with it.

For Roast pork belly, a wine that has a high level of acidity and a tad of sweetness is good. If you like a white wine, try a Riesling. And, if you prefer a red wine, go with a Pinot Noir. A young red Burgundy could also pair. For roast pork, look for something that has richness and acidity. Try a Grenache red, and for white wine, Viognier is a good match, especially if your pork has herbs like oregano.

Adding Sauces To Your Pork

Sauces that contain honey often pair best with sweeter wine types, or wines that have lots of fruit flavours. For sweet sauces; try an off dry Gewurztraminer or Muscat for a honey glaze, and a Viognier or a Verdejo for a peach glaze.

Having BBQ Spare Ribs?

Spare ribs are a common side with Chinese food. For BBQ ribs, pork or beef - the sauce on them and their spiciness is the most important consideration for your wine choice. Look for wines with plenty of fruit flavors and moderate tannins to bring out the best in your ribs.

Sparkling wines go very well with ribs! The tiny wine bubbles help to cleanse the palate- your ready to devour your next mouthful! If the ribs have lots of sauce and they are rather sweet, then go for off-dry types. A white with good acidity and stone fruit flavours(peach, nectarine, plum, apricot,cherry) pair nicely, like a Pinot Gris.
A sweet BBQ sauce also goes with a red wine with big fruity notes. This helps to bring out the juiciness in all rib styles. Also try a Spanish rose wine, they can pair nicely with a sweet BBQ sauce.
If your ribs are a dry style(dry rub), look for a bolder wine, like a California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sweet n Sour Chicken Balls

When it comes to pairing wine with sweet and sour chicken balls, it’s important to consider wines that can complement the dish’s complex flavor profile, without overpowering it. The wine should have enough acidity to cut through the richness of the fried chicken balls, while also having a tad of sweetness to match the sweetness of the sauce. Here we name a few:

A white wine that's rich with buttery notes, that can complement the dish's tanginess and sweetness - a Burgundy Chardonnay.

A red wine that has a light body and rich fruity notes, that can match the distinct flavours of the dish - California Pinot Noir.

A red wine that is bold, full bodied, and can complment the dish's acidity and sweetness - South Africa Cabernet.

Don't Forget the Egg Rolls

Your Egg rolls - meat or spring rolls, can pair with a variety of wines:
Sangiovese, Rose, Chenin Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay.

Generally speaking, acidic whites go very well with egg rolls. Try a Sauvignon Blanc - it can pair nicely with deep fried egg rolls by balancing out the fattiness.
Because egg rolls come in many flavours and a variety of dipping sauces, they can be matched with a slew of wines. Pair with one that match the acidity of the vinaigrette sauce they are served with, and other items in your Chinese meal. Pinot Noir wines have soft to medium tannins with intense fruit flavours making them a good pairing for egg rolls, and Chinese cuisine overall.

Sangiovese from Italy, is another good choice for pairing with egg rolls. Sangiovese has lighter tannins together with rich and dark fruit flavours. Pinot Grigio has citrus, lemon notes, another good match.
And, for an aromatic, full bodied selection with floral, lychee, and rose - go for a Gewurztraminer.

In Summary

Asian cuisine, and in particular Chinese food, is very popular in North America, and around the world. Take Out combo plates can offer a variety of savoury items, all with rich spices and sauces. Wines with crisp acidity, low tannins, and fruity notes are an ideal pairing for most chinese dishes. White wines and light reds can equally be matched with your Asian meal.
Rose wines can also pair nicely, with their light style and fruit forward notes. A dry rose of Cabernet Franc, or Syrah, would pair well with your Asian dish. In particular, they go nicely with the spiciness of Asian dishes.
And, for your 'Fortune Cookie,' you're in Luck, all wines are a great match!

Learn Spanish Words & Phrases for Travel With Audio

Is Wine Good For You? Health Benefits of Alcohol

Our Free Wine App - Sparkling & Whites
Click Here

Click a link to learn more about the types of white and red wines, wine grapes, wine regions and winemaking, and view wine brands by country.

Browse Additional Grape Varietals Click Here